Light and Shadows
by Cries in Vain
Summary: A young, blonde Russian soldier finds herself helping in the search for a Private Ryan. Will she be able to prove her strength, courage and skill to the others and her familly, as well as herself? JacksonOC
1. Chapter 1

The German sniper had just been shot and the young American's blood was pouring thick and heavy from his right lung. The relentless rain streamed down like a shower of metal bullets. Although the two are very different for everyone present their strength and sound only helped increase the similarity, that along with the dead soldier lying in the dirt.

Some of the men stood unmoving by the body totally detached from all but their fallen comrade. The few that were still focused searched the street ahead.

"Get that 30 up the street!"

"Detail!"

"Clear up!"

"Clear down!"

Trying to get back to reality and once again become the detached leader Captain Miller shouted orders for ammo checks and canteens to be filled. The others soon followed, however, reluctantly further up the streets.

They were about to rest in a small clearing when by some unforeseen accident a large stonewall fell to reveal fifteen startled German soldiers. There was only a moment when both groups were silenced by surprise before they moved to act. The noise was indecipherable and unbearably loud, as the men started shouting in English and German.

The shots that were eventually fired and effectively killing the enemy did not come from the ground but from above.

After hearing 'clear down' after being prompted twice, men descended and the other men moved to greet there allies. As Fred Hamill introduced himself a blonde figure, smaller and slighter than the others, moved down to look over the group. The figure soon caught the attention of the new arrivals, for underneath the helmet lay the pale face of a woman. She wore the standard American uniform but she had a distinctly foreign appearance and posture.

"Is that a woman?" Reiben asked in a poor excuse for a whisper. His eyes scanned over her but stopped when he noticed his attentions were not going unnoticed.

She tilted her head to one side and slide her helmet back giving a clear view of her face, her light blue eyes laughing at him. "Yes that is a woman."

Wade who had been standing beside him clutched his friend's arm for support as he silently laughed. With shining eyes he introduced himself.

"You don't sound very American."

"Really Upham we hadn't noticed," Reiben commented lightly after recovering his composure.

"She is actually Russian," Hamill supplied over his shoulder before turning back to Miller. Hearing this encouraged a few more of the men to either take notice or move closer.

Daniel Jackson stood a few feet away, his back resting on the more secure stonewall. His weapon was off his back and offering as a place to rest his arm. From his position he was able to observe the young woman from under the metal of his helmet. He watched as some of the men began talking in what he took as patronisingly slow tunes/

"Please don't talk to me in that way. I have no doubt that I speak better English than you do," she replied unwilling to have men talk down to her even more than for being a woman.

Her attention was drawn to her left when she heard laughing. Jackson was bend over, his arms crossed over his gun with his head down. His laughter died and he raised his head only to lock eyes with the blonde. She stared at him with a look of silent contemplation and amusement.

The sound of feet moving alerted the soldiers to the fact that they were beginning to move. Jackson rose and walked over to his comrades while the female blonde was turning to leave. She was stopped however by a hand being stuck out in front of her.

"Daniel Jackson," he stated in his broad southern accent.

"Vasiliev," she answered with an unrecognisable flourish. When his head tilted a little she smiled. "Anna," she supplied before moving away.

She walked out admiring how the rain had disappeared and the sun was now free to shine. She heard footsteps approach but did not have time to turn before that person was walking along side her.

"Vasiliev, a Russian name but if you don't mind me saying your accent doesn't sound right," Upham said and could not help but smile when he saw her face, happy that he had not offended her.

She smiled back. "My father was Russian but my mother was American so a grew up speaking both. You must be the translator… you pronounced my name correctly."

He smiled as they stopped and were joined by the rest of the men as someone went off in search of a soldier. The next few minutes after the soldier was found were agonising to watch. The soldier called James Ryan cried at the news that his baby brothers were dead, only to discover he was not who Captain Miller was looking for. Anna watched as James Ryan tried to comprehend the fact that his brothers were at least… believed to be alive.

"Miller you should take Vasiliev with you," Hamill suggested, "There is no point her staying here. She may find the rest of her company, as they were all dropped off course somewhere in France."

Captain Miller made to comment but was cut off, "She would be an asset. She speaks German and French with a clear accent and isn't a bad aim either."

Miller simply nodded and called her over to fill her in. as the light began to fade the nine soldiers moved into an abandoned church to get a few hours sleep before nightfall.

Inside the church was very dark with candles being the only source of light. The atmosphere was already tense with the building they were in only magnifying it. the dim, shadowy light cast obscure images onto the cold walls and floor, illuminating faces and stain glass windows. The light, gothic architecture and the overwhelming fear of war did not escape any ones notice, ever when asleep.

Anna sat in an unused pew with Upham behind her in the next row and Wade in the one across from her. She stared into the flame of a lone candle listening to the men talk about sleep and captain Miller involved in a quiet yet sad joke. Having tried to fall asleep but fining her tired body unwilling to cooperate, she found herself thinking back to her family.

XXX

Anna sat by her window, candle in hand watching the rain fall in the garden and the thunder in the distance. The door behind her opened and she found herself smiling at who had just entered. It was a middle-aged woman in a dark blue dress under a white pinafore. Her greying hair was pulled into a bun at the base of her neck, exposing her round rosy cheeks. 

"Mrs Petrova," Anna greeted as the woman moved to the blazing fire across from the window.

"Don't you Mrs Petrova me," the woman scolded with laughing eyes, "You will be late and make your мать very cross." Mrs Petrova had been Anna's nurse growing up and being Russian had helped tutor the girl in the language from a young age because her father did not have time. Now that Anna was eighteen Mrs Petrova was more like an aunt than a helper.

"Oh yes, how could I forget yet another yet another of mothers boring parties," Alex cried mockingly while standing and smoothing out her blue dress. "It is just her way of introducing me to all these men in the hopes I will marry one of them."

Mrs Petrova moved and started fussing over Anna's long blonde curls, "She is only doing what she believes is best мой дорогой."

"I know," Anna sighed, "But is now really the best time to be worrying about that?"

"I know what you mean," Mrs Petrova released the hair so it fell to the small of Anna's back, "It certainly feels the same as it did last time."

Just as the atmosphere in the room was in fear of becoming tense the door burst open. Anna's brother Viktor walked in doing a comical strut.

"Mrs Petrova," he bowed deeply in a playful manner before taking her hand and leading her in a spontaneous dance around the grand bedroom. Anna laughed at the expression on the older woman's face and began to clap out a tune.

After their turn about the room Viktor took Mrs Petrova's hand and kissed it lightly. He then turned to his sister, to which he looked very similar and offered her his arm.

"Do not want to keep them waiting, now do we?" he asked with a smirk for he enjoyed these occasions as little as his sister did.

* * *

This idea just randomly popped into my head and I thought I would write it down and see what happened. Let me know what you think and I will hopefully update soon. Until next time. 


	2. Chapter 2

The next few hours passed in a blur for everyone. All suffering and experiencing the same things… yet somehow differently. The soldiers travelled over the wet countryside, their figures silhouetted against the inky night sky. The only sources of light were the distant flashes of bombs falling to the earth like stars.

Anna was the first to break the unearthly silence as yet another ball of light fell, throwing a thundering roar over and around the group. "It would be beautiful if it were not so tragic."

There was a gentle chorus of agreement before Reiben spoke up, "Yeah but it is tragic, all right. This cloud has no silver lining."

Jackson and Wade who were walking behind moved so they wee walking instep with the New Yorker. They both knew Reiben had a talent for rubbing people up the wrong way and did not look forward to one of his verbal attacks. Anna on the other hand was ready, pulling the straps of her pack more securely onto her shoulders; she turned to face the three men behind.

"Just because you feel useless is no excuse for taking it out on me."

"I've got news for you sweetheart, I don't feel useless," Wade grabbed his comrade's arm to steady his emotions and prevent him from advancing.

Anna watched with both a sad smile and eyes only moving to push a free strand of hair away from her face. "We're in the middle of a war… everybody feels useless." The three stopped walking and thought over what she said while Anna simply shook her head and moved back up to the rest of the group.

Upham nodded at her arrival and made an attempt to speak but stopped when he noticed the far away look in her eyes. After a few moments Jackson came to a stand on the young woman's left after running to catch up. They walked in an emotionalise silence for a while before Jackson felt compelled to speak up. "People feel useless when they believe what they are doing has no effect on the world around them."

"What if, despite your best efforts it doesn't… have any effect?" Anna asked solemnly.

"What we are doing will make a difference," Jackson replied smiling in her direction.

"I guess we'll see." There was a moment of silence, which Upham took as an indication, that the conversation was over, so he started a new one.

"So, what did you guys do before this?" He gestured at the darkness around him. Anna smiled, "What? You mean the war? Upham blushed slightly but it went unnoticed in the dark.

"Well," Jackson started, "I worked on my parents ranch before all this. You know with cows and horses. Didn't really appreciate it until now, I even miss it. I miss my parents and little sister… well she isn't little any more but you know."

"That's nice," Upham stated, "What about you Vasiliev?"

"I studied medicine," Anna shifted her pack and looked ahead, "Well actually I was never given the chance to formally train. Learn must of the necessary information from books but that's as far as I got."

"Why?"

"Because women are only considered nurses in the medical field. I only got the opportunity to study as it was a favour to my dad." Anna shrugged it off as Miller decided to stop to relieve the soldiers.

XXX

Anna walked quickly down one of the many halls, her footsteps echoed off the hardwood floor and the hem of her white dress trailing slightly in the wake of her movement. As she journeyed her eyes simply overlooked the art on the walls and the sculptures on the tables. It was clear to an outsider that she took all theses things for granted, even when she was not in a hurry. She stopped at the least door beside the window with views of green fields. She knocked gently before pushing the mahogany door open.

She stepped inside the room and was met by the soft yellow light that was falling through the large window. She quickly scanned what she could of the far side of the room without bookshelves blocking her view. She turned right after the first of the shelves in the hope that he would be in his usual place.

As her eyes landed on the back of a leather chair she could make out a head just sneaking over the top. She continued towards the figure silently but her presence was revealed when she cast a shadow over his hands and what they held.

"So it's true then?" she asked taking a seat across from her brother.

"How did you know? I haven't told anybody yet," he asked in return facing his sister.

"Viktor… the servants, they saw the letter. It's all over the house," Anna replied sadly. In reality everyone was aware of what the letter meant, the house was practically buzzing with many people gossiping and speculating. They both knew it was only a matter of time before their mother found them and started talking about family honour. Their father on the other hand was probably too busy working to come and offer his son encouragement. No matter how well off they were there father could not stand idleness and so lived to work.

The moment both had been dreading came sooner than either had hoped. Footsteps were heard approaching less than ten minutes after Anna's arrival. The door opened and a figure, which was unmistakably their closer.

"Now Viktor it is your duty," the regale woman started in a cold distant tone, "As you know your father fought and now you will too."

"Does it not both you?" Anna asked. She knew within their social circles children were trained to impress other families but this was not one of her mother's parties. "You are sending your only son off to fight. Our young men are being send off with the knowledge that not all will be coming back and that is all you have to say?"

Anna's mother regarded her daughter coldly. She knew her daughter was spoilt and used to getting things her way, so decided a few home truths were necessary.

"Anna you may think you are the centre of the world but let me tell you something. I know my place, and by the time you realise how insignificantly small you are in this world, you'll know yours too."

XXX

The comrades settled at the first few tress of the forest ahead of them as the morning light began to break. There was the sound of heavy thuds as everyone dropped their packs gratefully to the ground. No one spoke as they all drank and fiddled with their canteens.

"We are going to find this Ryan," Wade stated breaking the silence. He spoke with a tone that tried to reassure the others.

"You know that do you?" Mellish asked with tired sarcasms.

"Yeah, what was it Upham said… ' If God be for us, who could be against us?'"

"Hitler, " Anna laughed. A few of the others laughed but were soon interrupted.

" You have nothing to worry about then. I mean look at you, you're like the poster child for their whole Aryan campaign," Mellish indicated to her hair and eyes as evidence.

"I am about as Aryan as you are," her flat tone encouraged a few smirks in Mellish's direction, "so why don't you just get off my back?" he was about to make a reply when Captain Miller spoke up.

"I think now would be a good time to get moving again," he turned his attention towards the trees, " I want to be on the other side of this by the time the sun's up. Lets move."

* * *

I know this chapter is a little out there, sorry. Long wait wasn't it? Sorry! Try to update sooner. I was thinking of letting Wade live in this story, what you guys think? Until next time. 


	3. Chapter 3

The had been walking for a little over an hour, doing nothing more than manoeuvring around their latest obstacle, trees. The light breaking through the thick foliage threw the yellows, greens and browns into sharp focus. The shadows cast by their figures served as a sub-conscious reminder that, even in this health picturesque forest, things were still not perfect.

The group walked a few more yards, their packs beginning to feel lighter as they sensed the green corridor coming to an end. The feel, however, vanished almost as quickly as it came. In front of them lay what one could only guess had been an aircraft. It's metal covers and glass windows were scattered on the ground, already partially buried under newly fallen leaves. The plane's shell though largely in one piece was bend and broken in many places. The trees caught in its descent where bend and sheltering the machine, where it had fallen on their once undisturbed land. The soldiers moved as fast as they could past the horrifying sight trying not to think about the fact that it could have been them inside the metal cage.

As Anna reached the tail of the aircraft her spirit dropped to a state that could only be described as total despair. There appeared to be hundreds of men lying under makeshift shelters, trying to keep out of the path of the scorching sun. She was surprised she had not seen this coming; after all now that they were here everyone was able to hear the moans and smell the blood.

"Wade!" Miller called as he walked sombrely through the crowd of wounded men, "See what you can do." The group all knew that they would help even if they were not told to, but it seemed to ease Miller's sense of helplessness in knowing he had given it as an order.

Almost instantly Wade dropped to his knees beside the closest of the wounded, "Yes sir."

Anna's hand quickly went to her head and helmet. She subtly checked to ensure her hair was tucked away, in an attempt to hide her gender, before dropping to her knees as well. She reached into her pack and pulled out a box containing wrapped up gauze. She lifted one of the mans legs to rest it on her knee when she saw Jackson kneel down and hold the same mans head, out of the corner of her eye.

"You'll be fine. We'll have you fixed in no time," she spoke in a soothing voice as she ripped his trouser leg up to his knee. The wound was long and deep, nearly to the bone and had been rapped in what looked like a ripped shirt.

She worked in silence cleaning the wound, applying pressure and sulphur before wrapping the leg tightly. The whole time she listened to Jackson as he tried to calm and reassure the man and the men around him. "It's all right. Don't worry fella's. the 29th infantry's breaking through, they'll be here soon."

"Hold tight, you'll be alright," Anna supplied placing his newly bandaged leg on the ground. She smiled gently at Jackson before moving to a soldier with a bad head injury. Jackson continued to talk to the man and even lit a cigarette for him but he kept his eyes on Anna as she worked.

"Reiben. Smell that leg right there. Find out if it's south of cheese?" Wade called as he moved effectively around every wounded party.

From where Anna sat at the edge of the crowd, she could see Mellish taunting captured Germans. She laughed bitterly as she tied a bandage on an unconscious soldiers arm, he knew one word of German and he intended on really hitting it home that he was Jewish.

Wade and Anna stayed has the rest followed Lieutenant DeWindt and Miller as they moved to inspect the aircraft. A few minutes later Upham came back out to talk to the passing soldiers, and Jackson, Reiben and Mellish closely followed him. Jackson walked away to the far corner of the camp with a bag, which despite her silent prayer Anna knew was fully of dog tags. She looked to her left and saw that Wade was also aware of what was in the bag. He turned to see her watching him, "Wade are you okay?"

"Yeah," was all the answer that was given before he went back to the soldier, whose leg he had no chance of saving. She was about to move to a soldier who was crying out in pain when Captain Miller stopped in front of her.

"Soldier you don't have to do this, you could help over there," he nodded in the direction of the three comrades who were going through the tags like a deck of cards looking for the arc.

Anna understood his concern and was grateful but she did not need it, "Thank you, sir, but I'm fine here." She rose and walked to the next person she was planning on helping. Miller simply nodded fully aware that these poor men could use all the help they could get, and moved to help his three men search.

She listened to their faint banter as it drifted over the camp and looked over to catch Wade's reaction. He looked over at his comrades and noticed the unwavering stream of soldiers and homeless citizens walking past hearing their thoughtless words. He walked purposely over to their 'table' and with bloody hands began stuffing the tags back into the bag. Anna moved towards them and was close enough to hear what he said.

"What the hell are you doing? The whole Goddamn Airborne's watching…. These aren't poker chips." Anna was too busy watching the poor soldiers walking past to notice that Captain Miller had spoken and moved away.

Jackson rubbed his head self-consciously and shoved the rest of the small pieces of metal away. He was about to stand when he noticed Anna as she now looked over the guilty party. All she kept thinking was 'what if her brother was dead and he were treated the same way?' She walked forward and grabbed a handful of the tags from the pile, "These represent the souls of the dead. Have a light respect, " she paused looking at everyone, "heaven knows one of them could have been you." She dropped them back on the table and moved back to the wounded to grab her pack.

By the time she came back she was a lot calmer, and the men were sitting looking down at a map. She stood behind Reiben and listened to Captain Miller as he spoke.

"The target has always been Cherbourg. We can't push on Paris until we take a deep water port, Rommel knows that, so he's gonna try to get his armour…" Anna failed to continue listening and she had a feeling his was not the only one. As Captain Miller held his compass in his right hand she could not help but notice how badly his hand shock. She could not blame him; she had a feeling that if she had been fighting in war for as long as he had her nerves would start to go too.

"Lets go."

* * *

Sorry it has taken me so long to update, I will try to get the next chapter up faster. Big thanks to everyone who reviewed, it means a lot that you guys like it. Next chapter will be the one in which wade gets shot but I think I'll save him. Until time. Vein 


	4. Chapter 4

The group started moving again, rather selfishly, with no hesitation. No one wanted to stay there, with the people who were praying that help would come and save them from their suffering. They trudged through a thick grassy field opposite the camp they had just departed.

Anna walked slowly behind the rest cleaning the blood off her hands with a wet rag. She looked over the green sweeping countryside and could not help being reminded of home.

XXX

"Viktor… where are you?" whispered a small ten year old girl. She jumped around the wooden corner beam of the stables but saw nothing, even before gold hair covered her eyes. She pushed it away with a single dirty hand, keeping her other on her 'sword', which was along tree branch. With eyes focused ahead the girl stepped over the threshold into the barn, catching the hem of her light blue dress as she moved over a protruding nail.

The stable was a large wooden structure made up of two levels. At the top of the wall opposite the doors was a large square opening, which offered light to the otherwise shadowy interior. At the back of the barn where the light did not stretch came the gentle snorts and shuffles of horses trying to rest in the cool shade.

"I see you Anna" came a voice, from where the girl could not see.

"Viktor," Anna called scanning the shadows, "come out or are you scared?" The figure moved about the level above Anna's head and stopped at the ladders that lead to his sister.

"You ready?" Viktor asked swinging his weapon before climbing down the ladder. He landed on the dirt and turned around, facing his sister. They both raised their wooden weapons and began circling each other. This continued for a few minutes, both faces falling into shadow every now and again. Anna moved first, only one foot moved forward but it was enough to cause Viktor to react.

The fourteen year old charged forward, stick raised resulting in Anna barely having time to act before the two sticks collided. Anna stepped back and tried to swing at him but he jumped back.

"Don't do that," Anna shouted, "you could have hit me."

The scene changed to one containing the same girl only she was eight years older. That and the new metal weapons were the only differences to the original scene.

Anna walked swiftly around the barn, her boots crunching on the hay that was discarded by the horses. She stopped and waited as she saw Viktor walking through the door, his sword in hand. She waited only until he was fully inside the barn before making her move. Swinging her sword Anna aimed for Viktor's head but was blocked a few inches from his face. This continued as the two figures skirted around each other, the occasional clang of metal accompanying them.

"Good Anna," Viktor called as they finished, "but I still don't know why you wanted to start doing this again."

"Viktor the world's changing," Anna stated wiping her hands on her riding trousers, "I want to be ready when it does."

"Mother won't be happy if she finds out."

"Don't you mean 'when' she finds out. Anyway I could do with a little fun."

XXX

Anna had been so unfocused that she had not noticed the dead soldiers until she was standing right beside them. It was only then that her body reacted to the terrible smell.

"You alright?" Jackson asked looking at her unnaturally pale face. She tried to nod but Jackson gentle pushed her between the trees and away from the sight. They moved back to the field and sat with the rest of the group, closely followed by Captain Miller.

"What is it?" Upham asked once everyone was settled. His voice shock slightly but for now it seemed there was an unspoken agreement that it was not the time for making jokes.

"Machine gun. Probably MG-42."

"Is that what got those guys?" Anna thought this was a rather pointless question, what else would have gotten them?

"Didn't their patches say they were 82nd?" Anna asked picking at the blades of grass.

"They were, so your lucks not that good," Miller replied looking over the men. Reiben said something about going around the station but Anna was watching Miller. He started taking of all the heavy aspects of the uniform before he spoke up, "I hear what you're saying but we can't go around it."

"I'm with Reiben on this one, sir, " Jackson replied honestly and it appeared the rest of the group thought the same, "We left them 88s."

"The Air Force isn't going to spend ordinance on one machine gun," Miller replied with an air that suggested it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"It's a hell of a lot to ask. It has nothing to do with the mission," Anna reasoned before Mellish continued.

"We can still skip it and accomplish our mission. I mean, this isn't our mission, right sir?"

"That's what you want to do Mellish? Just want to leave it here so they can ambush the next company that comes along?"

"No, sir, that's not what I'm saying," Mellish Started looking straight at his commanding officer, "I'm simply saying it seems like an unnecessary risk given our objective."

Captain Miller's eyes filled with determination, which eventually forced Mellish to look away. Reiben tried again to convince the man to go around it but nothing worked. Miller simply looked over every individual in front of him, slipped on his helmet and walked closer to the tower.

The group sat there for a few moments, some actually contemplating going around the station. In the end, for whatever the reason maybe their conscience, they all stood together and went to join their captain.

"All right, three base runners with suppressing fir. Mellish, you hook to the right. I'll go up the middle. Who's going left?"

No one answered causing Miller to ask the question again. The closest thing to a response came from Reiben when he spat three feet in front of him.

"I'll go left," Anna replied in an exasperated tone. Everyone turned to look at her. Anna turned to face her captain before snapping, "What?"

"I'll do it," Jackson returned looking at Anna, "I'll go left."

"All right," Miller replied in a relieved tone that had nothing to do with having a person to 'go left'. "Upham, switch off with Jackson and you linger in the rear. You to Vasiliev."

"Didn't see that one coming, " Anna muttered loud enough for all to hear before whispering to herself in Russian.

Miller moved up to stand behind a tree, as the rest of the group got ready. The comrades removed their heavy gear, replaced the weapons they needed and traded with the others. Jackson came and sat by Anna so they could swap equipment.

"Look, I'm sorry if you-"

"Lets see how fast you can run," Anna replied with hardened eyes as she pushed two grenades into his hand.

Upham and Anna lay behind a dead cow for what felt like a lifetime. While Upham seemed discreetly pleased he was at a safe distance, Anna was not. She sat with her back to the action, listening to the gunfire and wondering if she would have been better suited to the job. She was thin and light making her a faster runner that most men. The rain of metal eventually subsided and all that was left was the sound of Uphams breathing and the stagnant smell of dead flesh. Anna turned and squinted up the hill in response to hearing something she could not place.

"Upham, grab the gear. Get up here! We need water and extra dressing now!" Anna was already on her feet and moving before Miller had finished shouting. Upham grabbed the remaining bags that Anna had been unable to carry and began to run after her.

"Get the morphine out of the extra medical kit!"

Anna was able to see what had happened, her legs turned to lead when her brain registered the scene. She managed to move closer but could not take her eyes off wade. She was spurred into action however when they ripped his shirt and were able to see his wounds.

Anna knelt down and tried to get a look at the wound but Miller was pouring sulphur onto it, obstructing her view. She understood all the men were scared they were going to lose their friend but they were only making the situation worse.

"Stop it," Anna screamed putting her hand over the hole, preventing the powder from entering, "the bullet is still inside!"

"Put my legs up. Put my legs up."

"Upham give me your canteen, " Anna ordered while taking her jacket off, "Jackson pour the water over the wound."

"What are you, some kind of medical expert?" Mellish asked, his concern for his friend evident.

"Yeah, I am," Anna replied while ripping her jacket with her teeth, "now everyone hold him down, this could be bad."

The men all held Wade down, making sure his head, arms and legs were secure. Jackson poured the water as Anna applied pressure with her hand. "Upham I need your help. I need you to get a … a needle and thread out of my pack… you know what that is right?"

"You'll be ok."

She handed Jackson part of her ripped jacket with her free hand, " When I pull the bullet out there is going to be a lot of blood."

"Horvath he's going to need morphine, " Anna spoke as her hand applied gentle pressure around the entry wound on Wade's chest. "I don't think it hit any organs, " she muttered to herself before looking at the men.

"Make sure you hold his head," Anna continued as she checked to make sure he could not move. She waited for the morphine injection before trying to open the wound. She ordered water to be poured continuously to give her a better view of where the bullet was. After a few moments two of her fingers touched the end of the metal casing. "got it…ok, Wade, you're doing great… this is going to hurt but you'll be fine."

Anna moved her hand so she was able to grab the casing, her other hand holding the wound open. She manoeuvred the bullet slowly causing Wade to scream in pain and his body to stiffen violently. She managed to pull the bullet out quickly but Wade's body still rippled in pain. Upham, Jackson and Anna all grabbed their rags and pushed them down firmly on the wound. "Reiben," she said to the man on her left, "put your hand here, lots of pressure."

"Am I shot in the spine?"

"Wade, you're fine," Mellish soothed, "Can we get a little more morphine, please?"

Anna quickly grabbed the thick needle and thread lying at her side before threading it with double the amount of string. The bleeding looked like it was slowing slightly but if there was another wound in his back it might not matter.

"Okay more water," she checked for internal damage but could not see any.

"Reiben get some sulphur in there… that's it." Anna set to work closing the wound as quickly as she could, the wound was not fully closed when she finished, there was still a thin line that was partially open. "Reiben more sulphur and pressure."

"Lift him up. Easy, easy, easy."

"It's ok, doc. It's all right."

Anna moved to get a look at his back. She knelt beside Jackson, who was helping to support Wade, " Wade, you got an exit wound. It's in the small of your back, it's about the size of an acorn."

"Reiben keep pressure on the wound, we're going to role him over slightly." Mellish grabbed one of the spare packs and settled it beside Wade to rest his head on it.

"How bad is it. Can you fix it?" they moved Wade so his back was tilted towards Anna.

"Bullet didn't enter, it's sitting out of his back," Anna relied as she gently removed the offending metal, "More morphine."

The second wound was not as bad and was easier to close. Nonetheless the wound and the one in his abdomen were covered with gauze and then his stomach was tightly bandaged.

"Give him a bit more morphine."

"Oh my God," Jackson whispered as everyone sat in silence, "You did it, you saved him."

Anna stood shaking her head, "No. He's not better yet. The chance of infection is too great for that. He needs to go to a real hospital where people can repair the damage I've undoubtedly done." She grabbed a canteen and what was left of her jacket. Her top and trousers were covered in blood, as where her hands. She poured the contents of the canteen on to the cloth and was about to rub it on her hands before thinking better of it.

"Keep him warm and still," she shouted to Mellish before throwing him the wet rag for Wade's face.

"Thanks, from all of us. We really appreciate it," Reiben whispered still looking at his friend.

* * *

Hope you liked it, let me know either way. Thanks to all who reviewed. Until next time. 


	5. Chapter 5

The atmosphere within the group was strained to say the least, no one wanting to stray too far from their injured friend. They simply watched while Horvath cleaned the blood ad sweat from Wade's feverish face, encouraging him to stir from his restless sleep.

"We need him to wake up so we can start moving," Horvath explained as Anna returned to the crowd with freshly washed hands, though the same could not be said for her clothes.

"He might not be able to walk. He'd be lucky to be able to stand so soon after getting shot," Anna trailed off as she noticed Reiben turn away from the men and sprint up to the dishevelled brick. Everyone seemed to process what was going on after Reiben had the second figure on the ground and began kicking him mercilessly.

"Reiben, hold him," Jackson shouted as he and Mellish ran to meet their comrade with the 'would be' murder. Anna watched as the three men reached for a weapon and aim before Captain Miller order them to stop.

As he began to speak Anna started to move up, Horvath and Upham still with the now practically awake doctor. "First, make him mark and cover the paratroopers bodies for grave detail. Strip that stuff off him and check him for intelligence."

Anna now stood directly in front of the weak and quivering man, ignorantly trying to appeal to the men for mercy.

"Were you the one who shot Wade?" she asked in German, which received a startled look from the scared man. Already knowing the answer Anna barely listened as he tried to overcome his nervous stutter in order to protest and make excuses.

"Shut up with that filthy Pig Latin," came Jackson response as he searched for any hidden equipment in the man's shirt. Upham was now standing beside Anna trying to plead the Germans case but from what Anna could tell, it fell on deaf ears including her own.

"Jackson, you're hit."

"It's just skinned my arm sir."

"Get it cleaned and dressed. You and Anna watch the perimeter."

Anna walked beside Jackson as he unbuttoned his shirt and let it hang down around his legs. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the wound, a long fairly deep gash, from just below the end of his sleeve. They stopped at what had been a ten-foot stonewall twenty minutes before, but was now a pile of rubble with no other purpose than to be used as a chair. She turned as Jackson sat down so she was able to see Upham objecting to Millers actions, before the Captain told him he could help the German dig graves. She turned back to see Jackson struggling to tie the bandage with one hand, after seeing the captain going to check on a more alter and awake soldier.

"Do you mind if I?" Anna asked pointing at his arm. He smiled a 'thanks' and moved to make room for her to sit beside him. She sat side on to his injury, one leg on either side of the makeshift seat and studied the cut.

"That was amazing what you did," Jackson stated after a moment while looking from Wade being helped into a sitting position to Anna as she gently cleaned his arm. Anna simply reached for the role of gauze beside her left foot, in a vain attempt to act like she had not hear a word he said. The action simply prompted Jackson to move his head closer as she moved back up and reiterate that he was serious.

"I've probably just made it worse," Anna replied muttering and swearing to herself in Russian as she knotted his bandage and sat back a little, "I have never done that before, I could have killed him."

"If you had done nothing he would have died anyway," Jackson replied his face inches from hers. Anna simply nodded with her eyes downcast; when she finally looked up to meet his gaze he moved closer and before she knew it his lips were on hers. He kissed her gently, almost afraid to break her, leaving her the opportunity to pull away. When she made no attempt to escape he moved a hand to her neck pulling her closer to him while her hands rested on his bandaged arm and cheek.

As Jackson kissed her he felt all the negativity of the past few days wash away as he slowly took in the Russian beauty. For him reality seemed to fall away, like her hair in his hand and all that mattered was her lips responding to his. They eventually broke off, resting their foreheads against each other with both of Anna's hands caressing his face. "We shouldn't have done that," Anna whispered.

"Why not?" Jackson asked as he gently kissed her lips and hands, and stroked her hair that had been pulled free. She stayed in his hold savouring his presence and catching her breath before kissing his cheek and whispering against his lips, " I'm sorry. я извиняюсь пожалуйста, прости меня."

Jackson sat and watched as Anna walked back down the hill, sombre eyes. "Anna," he called willing her to turn and look back. To his disappointment she simply straighten her back and continued down her own path to the others. As he watched Anna simply carry on, he decided that he would carry on the same way but was surprised by how fast his disappointment turned to aggression and God forgive him he took it out on Upham for having compassion for a fellow human being.

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Sorry it has taken me so long to update and that this chapter is so short. Hopefully i will update sooner next time. Happy New Year and i hope it is fully of happiness and creativity for all. Enjoy, until next time. 


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